P-TOWN OR FIRE ISLAND?



The Northeast's two premier gay vacation destinations both evolved in isolated, tip-of-the-universe communities within an afternoon's drive of major cities, but that's where their similarities end. Cape Cod's Provincetown and Long Island's Fire Island are entirely different breeds of the same general species. It's not uncommon to find a lesbian or gay man who loves both towns, albeit for different reasons, but most queer summer-resort habitues have developed a clear, stubborn preference.

Somewhat complicating comparisons is the fact that Fire Island's queer communities, Cherry Grove and the Pines, are themselves in constant competition, separated both geographically -- by a cruisy swath of sand and forest -- and philosophically -- by a vast gulf of attitude. Cherry Grove is the senior of the two villages, catering to a motley crowd -- dykes with tikes, retirees, campy queens, African-Americans -- and everyone is made to feel very welcome. Houses here are generally funkier and more affordable than those in the Pines, which was developed more recently and has an almost exclusively male following. Domiciles in the Pines tend to be angular, sleek, and palatial; the crowd at restaurants and bars tends to be gorgeous, muscular, affluent, and at times arrogant. You'll find elements of both these populations in Provincetown, but without such sharp divisions.

If getting away from civilization is truly your intent, either of the Fire Island communities is a better choice than Provincetown. The Pines and Cherry Grove are accessible only by boat and are without streets or automobiles; they're also virtually devoid of heteros (this can be fun for a few days but can grow a little Twilight Zonish after a week or two). Provincetown is certainly remote (it's at the tip of Cape Cod), but even during its summer peak it's still only about 50% gay, drawing hordes of breeders to its handful of museums, scads of shops, dozens of restaurants, and eerily beautiful swath of Cape Cod National Seashore.

If you're traveling with your lover or with friends, you'll find that both destinations have plenty going for them, but on Fire Island your day may revolve more closely around those in your party -- there simply aren't many opportunities to wander off and do your own thing. It's a good place to read, lie in the sun, and relax. In Provincetown, it's not unheard of for a group of friends to arrive together and see each other only three or four more times during the rest of their stay. This is a sprawling town with numerous distractions and plenty of chances to meet new friends. For these reasons, if you're traveling alone, Provincetown is probably the better choice.

Because it has only a few hundred hotel rooms (most of which command more than $200 nightly), Fire Island draws fewer short-term visitors than it does weekly, monthly, or seasonal sojourners. If you're an outsider, you may find it somewhat difficult to crack such an established, cliquish social scene. On the other hand, newcomers, especially by summer's end, are often ogled enthusiastically by the regulars who've by now soured on the island's insularity. Provincetown has more than 80 gay-oriented guesthouses and inns and enjoys a steady turnover of visitors. You rarely see the same folks in the same bars every night, at least on more than a few consecutive days.

Both towns offer plenty of dance clubs and bars, but again, on Fire Island you'll have a more difficult time meeting other single people. And should you meet somebody interesting, the odds that either of you has landed a single, private bedroom are rather slim, given how many visitors share rooms or crash with friends. Because rooms are on average cheaper in Provincetown, there's a better chance that you'll meet somebody with a room. Also, Provincetown has two great dyke bars, and a couple others with a mixed following or women's nights once a week. Single lesbians will definitely find more to do here.

Fire Island makes for an ideal day-trip from New York City, whereas Provincetown requires at least an overnight from Boston or any other New England city. Total travel time (by car or train) from Manhattan to Sayville (site of the ferry terminals to Cherry Grove and the Pines) is a bit more than an hour; add another 30 to 45 minutes for the ferry ride. To get from Boston to Provincetown (which you can reach by ferry or by car), you should allow three to four hours (although without traffic two-and-a-half hours is entirely doable). If you are in Boston and seek a quick gay retreat, make the 75-minute drive north to Ogunquit, Maine, a low-keyed, smaller cousin to Provincetown.